


Hoist your colors high

by personalized_radio



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Setting, Canon Timeline, Gen, Or romantic whatever floats ur boat, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Soulmates, Semi-unrequited soulmates, Soulmates that give color(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-01-27 12:53:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21392488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/personalized_radio/pseuds/personalized_radio
Summary: The ocean is gray. It heaves to and fro in hues of storm clouds and dawn's watery birth; the foam bubbles a soft white and the fish below the surface gleam shaded, pale silver.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61





	Hoist your colors high

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myriadus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myriadus/gifts).

> Gina deserves good things (and so does luffy)
> 
> Inspired by this tumblr post! 
> 
> https://elimymoons.tumblr.com/post/84688893655/multiple-soulmate-au-where-the-world-is-grey-and

The ocean is gray. It heaves to and fro in hues of storm clouds and dawn's watery birth; the foam bubbles a soft white and the fish below the surface gleam shaded, pale silver. 

The sun is a white so blinding it hurts. The fruit blossoms, blooming often and bountiful, are a violent, pretty red.

Makino says that red is her favorite color, that Shanks gave it to her. Luffy was always pretty happy that his color gift was red, just like Shanks; that he was just born with the ability to see the bright of Shanks' hair and the tie around his hat. 

-

It did mean, of course, that the blood coating the mangled remains of Shanks' arm is a startlingly bright crimson.

But everything comes with drawbacks.

-

Color gifts are fickle, Dadan warns him once. He may give and not receive, or receive and not give. But when he finds the people that he is meant to go through life with, he'll know.

-

He is wearing a red vest and light gray shorts when he finally leaves Dawn Island on his little boat. 

He waves goodbye to the gray-white leaves and the sand and the gray smoke rising slowly from the houses in Foosha, and he sets sail to find the One Piece and his colors. He's already decided what he needs, and what colors he definitely wants. A blue so he can finally see the sky and the ocean, and a yellow or orange so he can finally see the sun. He wants a purple and a pink and maybe a green, so he can watch the sunsets in more than just grayscale and so he can more easily see things through the leaves. He wants a brown, too, so he can see what meat really looks like when it's sizzling hot and ready to be eaten. Oh, and a gold so he can see what the One Piece looks like when he finds it and becomes the king of the pirates! 

Most importantly, though, he needs a cook and a musician! He's already getting hungry…and bored. 

-

"Woah…" Koby whispers, looking at his finger. It's tipped in a drop of bright red, his own blood, but he looks too amazed to even notice, "Luffy...Luffy, you gave this…to me?"

"I just hit you." Luffy shrugs, unclenching his fist. 

"But...but Luffy, I can _ see _ -" Koby offers his own hand out, "I can see _ red _!"

"Oh." Luffy looks a little closer, curious, "Okay. Will you stop being such a wimp now?"

"W-Wimp? I guess I am…"

"I'm not afraid of dying." Luffy took off his hat and grinned at it, his promise still strong, "Because it's my dream! So I'm not afraid of dying for it. Besides, I think I can do it, although it could get pretty tough." 

Luffy pops the hat back on his head and looks on at Koby muttering something, still staring at the drop on his hand. Luffy hadn't meant to hit him _ that _ hard, he was just really annoying. 

"Will I…" Koby looks at him, tears in big, black eyes, "Will I be able to become a marine?"

Luffy pauses. Maybe this guy isn't so annoying all the time, after all.

-

Something tells Luffy to go after Roronoa Zoro. He is used to following his gut, so he goes. 

And there he is, when Luffy tracks him down. He's a tall man tied up to some logs by his elbows and waist, limp enough that he just hangs. He looks strong, even as tired as Luffy is sure he must be, to sleep like that.

Luffy blinks and, just peeking out from the dark bandana wrapped around Roronoa Zoro's head is a new color. Another blink, and the haramaki around Roronoa's waist is the same new color, vibrant and fresh and so totally different from red. Luffy can't help but marvel. 

Roronoa looks up at them while Koby talks nonsense but all Luffy can really hear or see is this man, who he is almost sure he wants to join his crew. He is, Luffy thinks, one of Luffy's _ colors _. A gift all for Luffy and the rest of Luffy's future crew. 

He opens his mouth wide to call out a greeting, pushing up wider on the walls to greet Zoro, who watches him with steadily widening eyes, but the appearance of a little girl stops him up and Koby drags him back down as she hops over the wall.

-

"You still around?" Zoro snorts, looking Luffy up and down. Since that weird guy had left, Zoro's eyes weren't wide anymore. Luffy can still tell they're dark, though. He doesn't hesitate over Luffy's vest or anything, but Luffy knows Zoro got his gift, too.

"Leave now before he goes and tells his dad."

Luffy shrugs, "Hey, what's this color?" He asks and points at Zoro's haramaki.

"None of your business." 

"You see red now." Luffy offers, ignoring the irritated tone. "What do I see now?"

"...gimme that rice ball and maybe I'll tell you."

"This one?" Luffy crouches and gathers up the ruined rice, "But it's all muddy. I guess you can't be picky with food when you're hungry…I wouldn't last a week, let alone a whole month!"

He offers the ruined rice to Zoro, who wolfs it down straight from his hands with no hesitation. There's a single grain left and Luffy pops it into his own mouth while he watches Zoro rapidly chew. It's _ sweet _. 

"Now what color did you give me?" Luffy demands as Zoro swallows.

"...green." He finally says, "It's green. Like grass and trees."

"_ Green _." Luffy smiles, slow and wide, "It's a good color. Hey, I'm looking for people to join my pirate crew."

Zoro scoffs, "A crook, huh?" 

"It's my dream." Luffy drops his smile. "There's nothing wrong with being a pirate."

"Don't tell me." Zoro gives him another once over, more scornful this time and Luffy doesn't like the look of it. He furrows his brow and crosses his arms. "You're gonna set me free and force me to join your crew because we're _ soulmates _, right?"

"I haven't decided yet." Luffy declares, because he _ hasn't _. "Everyone keeps saying you're a bad guy."

"I'd never join a pirate crew. I would keep living even if you didn't help me. I'm gonna do everything I can to stay alive and fulfill my dreams!"

Luffy considers him, and slowly makes his own decision.

"You _ really _ don't wanna join my crew?" 

"Never."

With a shrug and a smile, Luffy turns to leave.

"Wait!" Zoro calls from behind him and Luffy pauses, a little distracted by the tips of green leaves. The shades of it are everywhere, now that he can see it, even weeds sprouting up in the dry ground of this court yard. "Tell that little girl that the rice balls were really good. And that I said thanks a lot."

Luffy grins again, cheeks a little pinched.

-

Luffy is slamming his fist _ hard _ into that weird guy's nose before he even thinks about it. Luffy's only regret is that he didn't have a bigger hand so he could crush more of that guy's stupid _ face _.

-

"That's dirty!" Zoro yells at him, "Blackmail, even! You can't just decide for yourself that I'm joining your crew, especially when I already said no!"

"I'll be right back, okay?" Luffy says, ignoring him, because Luffy has a feeling that most of the things Zoro says aren't very useful, "And you'll join my crew once I get your sword back!"

"No! Hey, wait! Red guy!" 

-

"You!" That weird guy from before yells as he and Luffy run down the hall, "H-hey! You punched me and now I see a new color! Don't hurt me!"

"Shut up." Luffy frowns at him, "I don't care. Where is Zoro's sword?"

"I'll tell, I'll tell! Just stop shaking me!"

"Then hurry up and tell me!" Luffy shakes him harder and the weird guy's face goes funny and dark, like he's gonna get sick.

"They're in my rooooooom!" He sobs out, "We already passed it!"

"Why didn't you say anything!?" Luffy demands, turning on a heel and starting back the other way.

He doesn't have time for this, he and Zoro need to be on their way! They still have so much to do before they're ready to hit the Grand Line.

-

So much to do!!

But they're both lost.

"A navigator and a cook and someone who sings and -" 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zoro groans from where he's sprawled in the boat. Luffy doesn't move from resting his chin on the board's edge. "Listing who else we need on our ship!"

"Don't be an idiot. We're gonna starve before long."

"Hey, hey, Zoro." Luffy points into the water, "There's green in the ocean. And on fish!"

"Well, yeah." Zoro doesn't move either. "Didn't you know that?"

"I always thought the ocean was blue." Luffy says, "But now its _ green _. It's so pretty!"

Zoro _ tsks _ . "Don't call my color gift _ pretty _."

"It is, though." Luffy argues and touches the top of a wave as it gently sloshes by. The green parts for his fingers and the salt tingles his skin. 

"Yeah, well. Red's not pretty."

"You don't think so?" Luffy looks up at the sky, still a disappoint light gray. "I liked the flowers on my island. And seeing it sure makes cleaning up blood easier!"

"I guess." Zoro sighs, and then says, "Hey, is that a bird?"

"Looks tastey! Zoro, we should eat it!"

"How are we gonna catch it, idiot captain?"

"Watch this! Luffy says, and then stretches his arms out and flings himself sky-ward.

He gets carried off by the bird, which is a little bigger than he at first thought.

But he can see the green of the trees the bird flies him over and Zoro's gift really is pretty. Luffy's favorite color _ has _ to be green.

-

Luffy bounces when he hits the ground. Never hard enough that he goes back up but sort of like landing on a pillow. It definitely doesn't hurt like it did when he was a little kid, before he ate the gomu gomu fruit. 

This time, he lands in a little village. When he stands up, rubbing his head, there is a girl staring up at him from the ground.

He blinks, and her hair is suddenly bright, bright, bright, like red but somehow not. Something he's never seen before.

"Who -" he starts, and then the woman smiles wide at him and interrupts.

"Boss, you're finally here! I've been waiting for you to save me!"

Luffy looks around and then points to himself.

"Me?"

"I'll leave this up to you, sir!" She says loudly and then scrambles up and races off, a scroll held firmly in one hand. He watches her go, blinking. He doesn't know what color that is, but he likes it a lot. Almost as much as green.

"Hey!" He raises a hand after her, "Wait! What color is your hair, lady!?"

And then someone punches his head and his hat flies off and Luffy gets kind of pissed.

-

Color or not, Luffy isn't interested in teaming up with this lady. He has to find his crew and ship and leave whatever island this is. Maybe he can get some supplies before they head out? That might be helpful. 

Either way, he needs to find Zoro. 

The lady follows him when he starts walking, talking about something he isn't paying any attention to. He just keeps a protective hand on his hat, in case anyone else tries to mess it up again.

-

The lady brings him to her house - oh, wait, it isn't her house. Also her name is Nami. And she is going to be their navigator, just as soon as he beats up Bug Eye The Pirate 

"Nami, Nami," he asks as they walk, "What color did you give me? I gave you red."

"What?" Nami stops and looks at him, frowning at him, "Color? Sorry, kid, but I already have all my colors." 

"No way!" Luffy stops too, pointing between them, "How can you have all your colors if we just met!?"

"Um," Nami shrugs slowly, "Because we aren't soulmates? I dunno, maybe it's onesided." 

Luffy thinks about that. Koby and that weird guy both said he punched red into them. But Nami feels more like Zoro than Koby, like someone he was _ meant _ to be friends with.

"No." He says resolutely. "We are and I gave you red."

Nami glares at him, crossing her arms, rope hanging loosely in her hand, "Idiot pirate, listen to me! I already _ have _ all my colors. Maybe I'm just important in your life because I'll navigate for you." 

"Maybe you have all of your other colors. Except green, because Zoro will give you that."

"I'll have you know that red and green were the _ first _ colors I ever saw after my own!" Nami starts stomping forward, "And my hair is _ orange _ by the way! Keep up, idiot pirate!"

Luffy follows obediently, happy to give up the argument for now in exchange for watching the way the sunlight plays on Nami's _ orange _ hair. He can see a thin ring around the sun now, when he dares to look straight at it, and there is orange painted into the walls of a couple buildings. Orange is pretty too!

-

Luffy is a little confused until they put him in the cage, and then he's just annoyed and angry!

Orange is the color of _ liars _ . See if he puts Nami in _ his _ crew, no matter how pretty her hair is!

-

Okay, Nami gives him food and promises to let him out. Maybe she can be in his crew after all.

-

"Pirates stole the life of someone special to me!" Nami yells, her staff defensively in between she and Luffy and the pirates. "I hate pirates more than anything!"

Luffy blinks, understanding dawning. 

They don't have time to talk, though, with the cannon burning down and pirates coming after Nami and Luffy tries his hardest to eat through the steel but even his teeth aren't strong enough for that and -

"You…" he says around the bars, watching Nami grab the rope and smother the flame with her palms, "Behind you!"

-

Zoro and green and Nami is safe and then the clown man is dead but he _ isn't _ and then Zoro isn't just green anymore but _ red - _

-

"I swear," Luffy grunts through the grip he has on the clown guy's sword. It's broken, because he may not be able to bite through bars, but blades are nothing, this guy _ hurt his crew and _ "I'm gonna take you down!"

-

"Who are you, anyway? What color is that?" Zoro says to Nami, the both of them crouched at Luffy's side. 

"See, I told you!" Luffy smiles wide at Nami, "Hey, hey, Zoro, this is Nami and her hair is _ orange _ . She's our new navigator! Zoro gave you _ green _, Nami."

"Are you still on about that, idiot pirate!? For the last time, I already have all my colors! And I'm not your navigator! If you've got time to babble, how about thinking of escape from that cage!"

"That's a good idea." Luffy says thoughtfully. 

"Just stay in the cage." Zoro smirks and Luffy gets toppled over as Zoro strains to pick the cage up onto his shoulders.

"Zoro, no!" Luffy shouts, "You're stomach is gonna pop out!"

"Then let it!" Zoro grits out, "Don't tell me what to do, idiot captain! I'll do this my way!"

"Hey -" Nami starts and Luffy is a little too topsy curvy to hear what Zoro says but obviously it's enough to make her go quiet.

Luffy closes his mouth and let's Zoro do this his way.

-

There is a dog who _ eats his key _ and a lion and a fur man but he's _ free _.

-

He gets the only box left back for Shushu, because he knows how hard Shushu fought and what it feels like to not be strong enough yet.

"Sorry for screaming at you!" Name salutes smartly, her smile sheepish.

"It's okay." He stands up, brushing his knees off. He understands. "You lost someone important to you because of pirates. You've been through a lot, haven't you?"

Nami smiles wider, staying silent, but Luffy doesn't push.

Instead, they get blown up by another cannon ball.

Zoro is okay, at least, and Luffy sees the color of an _ explosion _ for the first time. 

"Nami, is fire orange?" He asks while Zoro and he are headed after the mayor.

"Kinda." Nami shrugs, still with that wrinkle between her eyebrows, "it's got orange and yellow and some red. When it's very hot, it has blue, too. And green, sometimes."

"Wow!" He punches his palm, "I can't wait to see it!"

"Yeah, yeah. Focus on the fight, idiot captain. We'll explore color later."

"Right, Zoro!" Luffy yells loudly and forgets about fire for now.

-

"We _ are _ pirates." Luffy says to the villagers.

"_ Idiot _!" Nami yells at him, still holding both treasure bags in her hands. She's pretty strong.

"So you are!" One villager squares up with his sword as Luffy looks at Nami questioningly.

"But it's the truth." He explains gently and then Zoro starts laughing and the villager lunges at them. Luffy finds himself laughing, too, as he swipes up Zoro and his half of the treasure and starts jogging away. Nami makes a crying sort of noise at his side and takes off in the same direction he's headed.

"This is a great village!" He decides as they run, Zoro still chortling against his side. "For their chief, just that person, they're all getting so mad!"

Nami doesn't say anything back, but Luffy is still so excited! He hasn't exactly missed Foosha but it is good to know that there are more good villages out here in the East Blue. 

Shushu saves them from needing to fight anyone at the docks, and Zoro takes care of the three pirates waiting.

They leave this island as fast as they arrived, headed on to new adventures.

-

"Stop it!!" Luffy screams, hanging onto the boat for dear life, "If you want it so badly, go and take it back from them!!"

"How could I do that!?" Nami shakes him even harder, nearly capsizing the boat in her efforts to kill him, "If you ever do that again, you're dead, idiot pirate, you understand!?"

Luffy nods rapidly, shuddering under her monstrous glare, and Zoro is still cackling like mad.

Slowly, Nami starts laughing too. She lets him go with a loud sigh and an _ idiot pirate _ again for good measure and flops onto the deck.

"What?" Luffy looks between them, "You're laughing?"

"Shut up." Nami shoves at him again and he starts to smile too, sensing forgiveness.

Orange is still a pretty color. Somehow, seeing the sun for its truth makes it feel all the warmer on his skin.

-

Luffy blinks upon seeing this boy with frizzy hair and a long nose and suddenly he can see the sands of the beach and the olive tones of his own skin and the skin of the boy. Between Nami's orange and this boy's yellow, he can make out the skin tones of everyone in his crew and of this stranger. Nami is pale like milk but Zoro is honey golden in the sunlight. 

"Halt!" Says the boy proudly from where he's jumped off the ground, "I am the great pirate fleet leader Usopp, who is in charge of the security of this village!"

Luffy blinks, and starts to smile.

His next color is so _ bright _ , more cheery than orange or red, still warmer than green. Maybe _ this _ is his favorite color.

-

"To tell lies!"

"Isn't that a bad thing to do?" Luffy asks. First his orange was a liar, and now this color, too? Who knew colors could be so tricky.

"That's not bad!" The onion boy says, "Actually, it's great!"

Luffy blinks.

-

"I'm proud that my dad was a pirate!!! I'm proud that he was a brave warrior of the sea!! You're right that I like to lie but I'm proud of having a pirate's blood in me!!! I don't have to pretend that I'm not!!" Usopp was shaking with his yells, standing over the butler guy without hesitation as he shouted: "I am the son of a pirate!!!" 

Luffy remembers.

-

"Your dad is Yasopp, right?"

Usopp looks shocked, and then eager and Luffy wants to get to know his new color.

"It's red, by the way." He says, flopping down next to Usopp.

"Red?"

"My color."

Usopp blinks and then his eyes bulge.

"I CAN SEE COLORS!!!"

Luffy falls back onto his lap, laughing uproariously, "You can, you can!!"

"Red!!" Usopp grabs his vest and tugs it rapidly, "Oh my god, and the - the grass! That's green, isn't it!?"

"Yes! Fresh, right? And the sun is - orange, sort of."

"Wow." Usopp sits next to him, eyes big as plates, "You guys - but that means we...you got yellow, then, right?" 

"Is that what this color is?" Luffy picks a tiny flower out of the grass and spins it, watching the _ yellow _ bleed together. 

Usopp nods, looking as ecstatic as Luffy _ feels _ and it's the first of his soulmates to seem as happy about finding each other as Luffy is!

They sit for awhile, talking about Yasopp and their colors, and Luffy excitedly talks about how bright the sun is and then listens to Usopp go on about how orange changes the depth of everything. 

They slowly ramble back to the sick lady and her jerk butler.

"That butler?" Luffy asks and points down, where two figures have collected together.

"Yeah, that butler!" Usopp confirms, "Why is he here?" 

They both peer over the edge to better hear.

-

"Since everyone thinks that I'm a liar, I'll protect this village myself and prevent the pirates from attacking! In order to protect the village, this will just become one of my lies."

Usopp sits and Luffy watches, feeling _ yellow _ building up in his chest, his limbs, his heart. 

"Although they fired guns at me...and they chased after me with broomsticks...here is the village where I grew up. I love this village and I want to protect everyone." 

Luffy sees his fear, his tears. It makes him upset. This is _ his _yellow.

"How can I just watch everyone get killed?" Usopp asks, wiping at his tears without regard for pride or shame.

"You're a pretty good guy." Zoro breaks his quiet, smirking, "You lied to your crew so that you can do this alone."

"Okay!" Luffy starts to stretch, "I'm definitely going to butt in here!"

"Okay, but all the treasure is mine." Nami agrees, looking irritated.

Usopp drops a hand to look at them.

"You guys are willing to fight with me? Why…?"

"Because you're outnumbered." Luffy says.

"Because you have _ terrified _ written all over your face," Zoro says.

"Idiots!!" Usopp stands, "Me? Scared? They could have a hundred pirates but they can't compete with me! I'm Captain Usopp! In my veins flows the blood of a brave warrior of the sea! Stop shaking!!" He looks down at his wobbling knees, "Stop it! O-of course I'm scared! I don't need your pity, leave me alone!"

"We aren't pitying you." Zoro scoffs. "We're helping because you're being courageous."

"We're risking our lives because you're being brave!" Luffy offers his hand, "And because you're our yellow."

"Not my yellow." Nami mutters, but Luffy still sees her grin when, face still scrunched in ugly sobs, Usopp takes Luffy's hand.

-

Luffy runs north, north, north toward his yellow.

-

Luffy takes, in order, a heel to the face, a blade to the head, and then a face to his knuckles.

-

"Funny," Kuro looks at his claws and then gently trails one across his tongue, "I've tasted blood so often, but I never thought I'd see it in it's true color."

Luffy cracks his knuckles.

-

Luffy can't say for sure, but the Going Merry makes the white in the world just a little bit brighter as he blinks up at her.

-

"Safe voyage, guys!" Usopp grins up at him and Luffy frowns as he continues with: "Hope to see you again somewhere!"

"Why?" Luffy asks, confused. Where is Usopp going? They're still waiting to take off because of him!

"Why?" Usopp glares up at him, "So cold-hearted! We're both going to be pirates now, so we might meet again on the high seas…?"

"What are you talking about?" Zoro snorts, "Hurry up and get on board!"

"Huh?" Usopp blinks.

Luffy rests his chin on his arm and squints. "You're already our friend, aren't you?"

-

Luffy wants both legs and he doesn't mind waiting a week but he can't wait another _ year _. It just can't happen.

And then he looks up from the ground and sees a group of cooks with big white hats and uniforms all holding tightly to a boy in a slim suit. He has yellow hair.

Luffy blinks and - this boy has yellow hair and eyes closer to green but far too different to ever be confused.

Luffy finds himself lost in them.

-

He watches Sanji sitting with the beaten up pirate, grinning as the stranger gulps down food Luffy kind of wishes he could have some of, too.

The new color is blue. Luffy can finally see the ocean and it's _ amazing _.

-

"No!" Luffy demands, "I refuse!!"

"What?" Sanji looks at him, brow raised, and Luffy crosses his arms.

"I refuse your refusal! You're my blue and a good cook and we are gonna be pirates together!" 

"Your...blue?" Sanji blinks at him and then blinks again, "Oh, huh. I thought that stuff was made up. I thought I was just going crazy or somethin'."

"What stuff?"

"The colors stuff."

"It's not." Luffy points at him firmly, "Maybe it was a little easier for you because you've always had blue as your gift but I have been looking for you! And the rest of our crew is waiting!!"

"Rest of our…" Sanji puts a hand to his face, "Listen, guy, at least here me out."

"Fine." Luffy huffs, "What's your reason?"

"Why would I tell you?" Sanji ashes his cigarette and Luffy groans loudly.

"You just told me to hear you out!!"

-

Sanji drops his wine bottle when he see the crew, which Luffy would find hilarious except that his swordsman has just tried to _ kill him with dirty water _.

"Wow…" Sanji says, "I didn't know that someone as beautiful as you could somehow become an even lovelier vision, and yet I stand here, corrected!"

Nami stares at their new crewmate-to-be and Usopp laughs at him. Zoro just sighs. 

-

Luffy points Sanji out, though he's sure that his crew have already noticed him. Zoro and Nami don't look impressed but Usopp has been holding up a blue plate and looking it over in between that weird guy coming in with Gin and talking so much.

"What do you think?" He grins, "Pretty good, right? Our cook _ and _ our blue!"

"Hey, shithead, I told you I'm not your anything! This color bullshit is _ bullshit_!"

Luffy ignores him in favor of talking to Gin about the Grand Line. 

-

"She said -" Johnny chokes out through tears and salt water, "She said that if you were truly linked by fate, that you'd meet again!"

Luffy looks out over the water, ignoring the rest of his crew yelling next to him. He spots the outline of the Going Merry on the horizon and points.

"I can still see our ship!! Yosaku, Johnny! Where's your ship!"

"We still have it." Yosaku coughs.

"Zoro, Usopp!"

"Just let her go, idiot captain. No good will come of chasing her."

"But she took the Going Merry! That ship's important!"

Luffy set his face in his most determined look. It worked on Ace and Sabo, and even Dadan sometimes, and it would work now.

"I want her to be our navigator, no matter what! She belongs with us, Zoro, she's our _ orange _!"

Zoro and Usopp both look at him and then each other. Usopp crosses his arms. Zoro stares at him with an unimpressed eye. Luffy glares back.

Zoro sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Fine. Why'd I have to follow such a troublesome man? Usopp. We're going."

"R-right!" 

-

Luffy grabs Yosaku and Johnny before they can interfere with Zoro's fight, but he has to use them to keep himself back too, when he sees the truth of the duel in front of him.

Though he hasn't known him long, Zoro is his _ soulmate _ and his crew and Luffy has never had a friend like Zoro before. 

Before him, there were his brothers - but Zoro was his first _ friend _. 

Zoro was his _ green_.

"A wound on one's back," Zoro grins through blood, "Is the shame of a swordsman."

-

"_ ZORO!!!_"

-

The green in the world, for just a moment, flickers out, and Luffy has felt grief before - for Sabo, and for Shanks - but none like this. None that feel like a piece of himself flickers.

This is what it means to find your soulmates.

He hurls himself at the sword man without hesitation, a fury so strong his vision bleeds red.

"Pirate king!" He answers with the same level of certainty when asked.

"A tough path. Even tougher than surpassing me."

"Whatever!" Luffy sticks his tongue out and pulls a face, "I'm gonna do it anyways!! Usopp, is Zoro alright!?"

"Like hell he's alright!! But he's still alive. He's only lost consciousness!"

Usopp must have felt it, the flicker, seen the way the ocean dulled for just a second. His heart must be hurting too, his and Nami's and Sanji's, just like Luffy's, but his voice stays strong.

Luffy swallows, nods to himself. And then Zoro's sword slowly lifts, straight up.

"L-Luffy…." His swordsman, his green, calls for him. "Can you...hear me?"

"Yes!!"

"Sorry...for worrying you…" Zoro says, and though his voice rasps, it, too, is strong. Luffy can see where he and Usopp have clasped hands.

"I know that if I don't become...the world's strongest swordsman...it will only embarrass you! I swear that I'm never going to lose again!! Until the day I fight him and win, I swear to never lose again!!"

Luffy let's a smile pull his lips up.

"That alright with you, Pirate King!?"

Luffy laughs, relief and happiness coursing through him.

"Of course!"

-

"Zoro and I will definitely bring back Nami!" Usopp yells from the little ship slowly sailing away, waving Luffy's hat, still holding tight to Zoro's hand. "You make sure to get us our cook! Once we have five people in our crew, let's head to the Grand Line!!"

Usopp hurls the hat. As befitting of Luffy's crewmate - soulmate - his aim is true and Luffy catches the straw hat with ease.

"Of course we will!!"

-

It feels right that Sanji stands by his side as they survey the encroaching Krieg pirates.

"It's a promise." He says, "I get rid of them and I repay my debt."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Old Man Chef nods, looking grim. Next to him, Sanji is giving orders to another chef.

Luffy grins wide.

"Better get started!"

He uses the railing to pull back and then flings himself across the gulf and into the oncoming pirate hoard.

-

Luffy knows the fight is Sanji's but he nearly lost Zoro and he _ just found Sanji _ and he is not going to let _ anyone else _ hurt his _ crew _ \- whether they are a part of his crew yet or not!

It's hot! It burns!! But he is _ there _.

And then he _ can't fight again _ and he has to just…watch.

-

Well. He doesn't have to just watch if he breaks the ship and ruins the plan all together.

Sanji is _ his _ \- theirs - and Luffy isn't gonna let this ship or these pirates take him away now that Luffy has him.

-

"Now kindly eat shit and die." Sanji says around a new cigarette.

"You, too, Strawhat. It would've been best for you to leave with your crew earlier."

"Huh?" Luffy blinks. "Nah, it's not as if I could ever be beaten by a weakling like you."

The sea is so _ blue _. Luffy is almost sad he can't dive in, just to see all the hues again with his new gift from Sanji. 

-

"I'll ask again! Which of us do you think is more fit to become the Pirate King!?" The ugly metal guy asks again.

"Me." Luffy repeats, "It definitely can't be you!"

-

Sanji holds his wrist tight, stops him from hurling himself at Krieg. 

"You'll get yourself killed!"

Luffy, for a brief second, twists his hand around to clasp his fingers over the thin circle of Sanji's wrist.

"I'm not gonna die." He says firmly. Sanji's grip slackened and Luffy uses the chance to run.

He feels the blue heat of Sanji in his skin. He wants to touch the others now, too, and see if it is the same or different. If he could taste yellow or green or orange the same way he can taste blue, if they could taste red.

He won't die here. Neither will Sanji, or the old man, or Gin, or Zoro or anyone else except maybe Krieg.

This boat will not be a grave if he has the last thing to say about it.

-

Blue is still beautiful. He watches it all around him, though his vision is blurry and fading. He likes how the sunlight plays in the water, casting deep lights that shimmer along the scales of the fish swimming around his sinking body. Some are silver and gray, but others are his crew. Orange crests and green fins, yellow eyes. 

Yellow hair and blue, blue eyes and a curly brow as his blue reaches out for him.

Luffy falls asleep. He won and is tired now.

-

He wakes up.

"Hey…" Sanji says, smiling wide enough that all his teeth show, "Do you know about All Blue?"

Luffy shakes his head.

"You've never heard of the ocean of miracles!? Well, see, All Blue…"

Sanji tells him all about the All Blue, the ocean that every other ocean feeds into, that has every kind of fish.

Luffy gets excited just _ hearing _ about it! He wants to find the All Blue, wants Sanji to find it with him, with them! 

He isn't gonna leave this ship without his cook, it's decided.

-

"Don't wanna." Luffy says around his soup.

The chefs go into an uproar, some grabbing at their knives while the old man glowers.

"What's the meaning of this!? Didn't you want a cook for your ship? What, are you not satisfied?"

"No way, I'm not dissatisfied! I want him to come along with me. But he said he wants to stay and be a cook. So even if you tell me to take him, I'm not gonna."

Luffy holds out his bowl for more soup, done with the conversation for now. He wants more soup.

-

"Take me with you." Sanji says and Luffy smiles wide and steady.

-

Johnny is napping at the rudder while Sanji prepares a meal for their journey. Luffy looks up at the sky. It's blue, but not like the ocean, and he thinks it may still be mostly gray. It is hard to tell what is truly gray now, with his soulmates within arms reach and his crew coming together again soon. 

"You've really seen blue your whole life?"

"You're not gonna get me to believe in this colors bullshit, idiot."

"It isn't bullshit! I gave you red and Nami gave you orange and Zoro gave you green and Usopp gave you yellow! Like your hair!"

Sanji reaches up thoughtlessly, holds a yellow strand in his fingers and looks it over carefully. 

"I dunno. Maybe I just knocked something loose at some point. Krieg was muttering about red by the time you were done with him."

"Yeah, that happens." Luffy shrugs and hangs his arms over the boat, letting them trail into the water. He doesn't remember his sinking, but he remembers blue eyes and green fins. He remembers that it was pretty.

Sanji laughs quietly, shakes his head, and continues to grill the meat in the portable hotpot he brought along with them.

"Anyway." Luffy decides, "It doesn't matter if you believe me. We're _ soulmates _ and that means we're crew. We're going to conquer the Grand Line together and I'm going to become the king of the pirates."

"Okay, Luffy." Sanji gives in. Luffy accepts his plate and eats with gusto.

-

"THERE'S NO WAY THAT NAMI WOULD KILL USOPP!!!" Luffy shakes Johnny hard, angry at the lies, "WE'RE SOULMATES!! More importantly, we're friends!!!"

Johnny babbles something through tears but Luffy is done listening to him, done listening to his lies!

Luffy can still see the sun. He can still _ feel _ Usopp, in his heart! Usopp isn't dead and Nami didn't kill him and Luffy will beat up anyone who says otherwise!!

"And just who are you calling soulmates, Luffy? What did you come to this island for?"

"Huh?" Luffy drops Johnny immediately, turning around to see his navigator and her orange hair and familiar eyes. Her face is - chilly. He wants her laughing and smiling again, not...sad like this, behind cool eyes.

"What are you talking about? We're soulmates. We've come for you, of course!"

"Well, you're just causing me problems. Soulmates? I told you a thousand times, I already _ have _ all of my colors. It's a onesided connection, idiot pirate. This crewmates thing was a stupid little cooperation, nothing more."

Johnny starts talking again, and then Zoro and Sanji are talking and then _ fighting _ and Nami is talking again but all of it is just noise. She isn't saying what she really feels and none of the others are understanding that.

Luffy can't deal with all of that. 

"I'm gonna sleep." He says and drops to his back, arms behind his head.

"Sleep!?"

"I don't feel like leaving this island yet, and I don't really care what's going on, either. And I'm sleepy. So I'm sleeping. Usopp will find us. I know in my heart he's alive and so do all of you."

"Fine!!" Nami shouts, but Luffy has already decided he doesn't want to listen to her anymore. He closes his eyes and waits. Usopp is okay, and he is going to find them. 

-

Usopp is okay and he finds them.

-

Luffy isn't fast enough to catch the first downward thrust of the knife, but he wraps his hand around Nami's before it comes down a second time. He holds her hand tight, feels her shaking grip. He hates her tears.

"Luffy…" she huffs, drops the knife. "What is it!? You don't know the first thing about anything!"

"Nope." He agrees. "I don't know anything."

"This has nothing to do with you...didn't I already tell you to leave this island!?"

She hurls dust at him, but her arms are weak and her aim is thoughtless.

"Yeah, you did." He agrees again. 

She falls silent except for the huffing sobs that shake her shoulders. She looks thin.

"Luffy…" she finally sniffs, turning to look at him, "Help me."

Luffy takes off his hat, plunks it on her head. The yellow straw looks soft against her fire-orange hair. The red on her arm makes him even angrier than he already is.

He doesn't wipe her tears away because they are hers to cry, but he does stretch out once and then screams at the top of his lungs.

"OF COURSE I WILL!!!"

-

"Who is the one," Luffy demands, cracking his knuckles, "Called Arlong?"

-

"Don't you _ dare _," Luffy scowls at the sharkman known as Arlong, sitting in the rubble of a wall, "Make my navigator cry!"

-

Luffy climbs his way out of the remains of the building. There is paper and wood and stone, all of which he brushes away without care until he stands tall on top.

"NAMI!!!"

He finds her in the crowd, still wearing his hat. She wipes at her eyes.

"You're my orange!" He says, because it means his soulmate and crewmate both. His color and his navigator but, most importantly, his friend. "Got it!?"

She laughs, loud enough that he hears her, rubbing at one eye as she yells back, "Got it!!"

-

"I'M THE MAN WHO'LL BECOME KING OF THE PIRATES!!!"

-

"Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Nami!" Luffy grins big and wide, "Sorry! It looks like I'm dead."

"_ What!?" _

"_ Don't say that, idiot!!!" _

-

A flash of lightning that steals the color from his world again.

And then he's standing, still grinning wide.

-

"We need a musician." Luffy says, laying out on Merry's deck. Usopp is laying with his head on Luffy's stomach, snoring, and Zoro is leaning against the mast a foot away, legs underneath Usopp's. Sanji is cooking, but the kitchen door is wide open and Luffy can hear the clanging of a happy chef while Nami laughs at whatever Sanji is saying. 

"Yeah." Zoro agrees.

"And a doctor." Luffy decides.

"Probably." Zoro agrees.

"But what colors do we need?" Luffy frowns. "Sanji doesn't believe in them."

"The love cook is an idiot." Zoro snorts, "We both know it's real. And there's probably more than just us five, right? Besides, we don't need to _ only _ have soulmates as crewmates."

"I guess." Luffy decides, but he's still frowning. He wants his crew to be his soulmates, down to the last. He still feels incomplete. There are missing pieces, missing colors. 

Still, the four he has are...indescribable. Luffy isn't one for words, but if he were, he still doesn't think he'd be able to explain. 

"Hey, hey, Zoro?" He brushes a casual hand across Usopp's forehead and he snorts in his sleep, turns and rubs his face into Luffy's stomach before settling again. 

Zoro grunts and Luffy grins wide at the grayscale sky, "What's your favorite color?"

"I only have five to pick from, idiot captain. It seems unfair to not have all the options."

"Still, what's your favorite?"

Zoro sighs.

"...red." he says after a while.

Luffy grins so hard his eyes squint shut. He doesn't think he has a favorite, can't pick between all of his gifts. But green has a special place, just a little.

-

None of them realize what's happened until Nami screams from her room, a day after they leave Laboon 

"G-Gold!" She shouts, pointing at her open treasure chest when Luffy bounds down to check on her, the others fast at his heels.

Inside, what were once pale yellow pieces of gold are now brilliant, near incandescent. Nami polishes these pieces a lot, and they gleam in the light of the room.

"But…" Usopp blinks, picking up a piece and carefully inspecting it. "Who, though?"

"My hair is different now?" Sanji says, examining a lock of hair much like Luffy remembers him doing when they first met. 

"Maybe it was Laboon!!" Luffy shouts, excited at the thought.

"Idiot," Nami scowls at him, "It couldn't have been the _ whale _."

"But we only met those two weird people and the old man." Luffy points out.

"Maybe it was someone we saw in Loguetown?"

"Does it matter?" Zoro shrugs, putting his hands behind his head, "If we're meant to meet them again, then we will. For now, we can just rest easy."

It's good enough for Luffy, but he hasn't given up on Laboon being another soulmate. 

-

By the time that weird lady who gave Luffy that thing that he immediately smashed is gone, it's been a crazy kind of night. He looks at Vivi and her blue-tinted hair, blinks once, twice, and there's a _ new color _. 

"Hey!" He points at her excitedly, "Hey, new!! New color!!"

"Huh?" Vivi blinks at him and then turns around. "New color?" 

"New color." Usopp confirms, still sleepy but excited none the less. "Well, it's dark...and we already have green and blue…so I think that just leaves purple?"

"Vivi, did you give us purple?" Even as Luffy says it, it doesn't feel quite right but, at the same time, it's the only thing to make sense.

"Color?" Vivi repeats again and then frowns deeply. "I...I don't...but nothing has changed for me. I just...I just have my own color and one other." 

"But that doesn't make sense." Luffy frowns, too, "Why did you give us a color if we didn't give you…"

"It happens." Nami says gently from where she's leaning against the mast. "Like you imparting the red plague onto every idiot you punch, remember? It was bound to happen eventually. Vivi has something important to do with us, but...she won't stay forever."

"I don't like that." Luffy stubbornly crosses his arms and scowls at Vivi. "I want to share my color if you shared yours!"

"Are we still pretending that sharing colors is a thing? Are you saying Miss Wednesday shared a color with you?" Sanji pipes in, platter of steaming drinks in hand. Usopp still has his chin tucked over Luffy's shoulder and Zoro has sat, mug already in hand, blowing softly as the ship moves in whatever direction Nami wants it moving. 

"With _ us _. " Usopp collects, "Purple. Anyone else see it?" 

He points to the patch of night sky filled with wandering purple lights. Everyone oohs and awws, except Zoro, who pretends to be too cool for it.

"But it looks like it's onesided." 

Vivi looks as sad at that news as Luffy feels. 

"Are you all soulmates? How romantic…"

"Ugh, don't even get me started. Sharing colors with these dweebs is an ongoing nightmare." Nami rolls her eyes, but she sounds happy about it.

"Are you _ suuuuur_e you don't see any new colors?" Luffy asks suspiciously. Nami had said she hadn't at first, too, after all, and Usopp hadn't even realized until Luffy pointed it out. "Here, see!" He holds out his bloody hand, "Do you see this? The blood?"

"I'm sorry, Mister Captain." Vivi shakes her head, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, "I only have my color and one other, which I was gifted as a child by a dear friend."

Luffy drops his hand with a frown. "This sucks."

"What is your color, then?" Usopp asks.

"As a princess, I can't share my color with anyone." Vivi shakes her head again, "It's against the rules." 

"Whaaat!? But it's gotta be purple, right!?" 

"I'm sorry." Vivi says again, firmly, "I just can't share it with you. I badly wish to, but…"

"Well." Luffy crosses his arms, "It doesn't matter. It's a pretty color and I like it. Now let's set sail!!"

He cartwheels to the galley, throws his hands up into the night and takes in the dark sky above him, purple and blue mixed behind the sea of stars twinkling a yellow gold.

-

"Usopp…" he says from where he lays on the ground, resting. "Will you forgive them?"

"No way."

Vivi's duck quacks loudly in agreement and Luffy feels the power in his fingers returning. "You want revenge too?"

Duck quacks again, louder.

"Good! Let's go then. We're gonna crush those people into the ground."

-

These weird people ruined the honor the battle between these two giants but, most importantly, they _ hurt Luffy's friends. _

-

His crew isn't worried anymore. Luffy can smell a lot of blood, and it tastes _ green _ in his mouth. It makes him _ angry _.

-

"Hey, kid!!" Luffy hears one of the giants yelling, "Are you going to quit trying!?"

Luffy thinks that he is talking to _ him _, and Luffy is about to tell him to shut the hell up and that he hasn't even started yet!

But Zoro answers, instead, which makes much more sense.

"Don't worry anymore. There is someone else who's going to try for us!"

-

"No." Luffy says, suddenly confused. "What should I do? I don't feel like I want to help you."

-

Black is the color of betrayal. Yellow is the color of fun. Red is the color of a target. Blue is the color of sadness. Green is the color of peace. 

-

No...no!! 

Yellow is the color of Usopp, and blue is the color of Sanji and green is the color of Zoro and red is _ his color _ and they haven't met their black yet, but Luffy is sure that black means friendship.

-

"Duck!" Luffy calls as they run after the candle man, "Don't forgive them!! The person who destroyed the pride of this battle is not a real man!!"

-

He follows his instinct.

-

Luffy thinks he wouldn't have minded seeing colors that giants might let him see. But he has his crew and they are safe and heading to Alabasta, with Nami leading the way.

-

Luffy presses his palm to Nami's flushed forehead and then glowers at the heat, "Nami, it's hot!! I think we'd better stop and find you a doctor!"

"Stop talking!" Nami demands, leaning into his touch. Luffy isn't very used to touching, but his soul doesn't feel good because Nami doesn't feel good. "It's just a cold. Go back to work and stop worrying about me." 

"Nami-swan, I know you're worried about Miss Vivi, but I think you should rest."

"I said I'm fine!" Nami shouts down at Sanji, still leaning into Luffy's hand. The touching makes him feel better, so he loops a long arm around her shoulders. It says a lot that she let's him, stumbles into his side. 

"Don't overdo it, Nami!" Usopp calls up, a worried line in his forehead.

"Just leave me alone and get this ship moving!" She pokes at Luffy's chest, "Something's coming."

"Okay." Luffy agrees, "So we will stay and watch for it. Everyone else, get the ship going!"

"Ay-ay, Captain!" Gets called from below. Nami glares at him, but doesn't move out from under his arm.

-

"So let's start finding a doctor and curing Miss Nami as soon as possible, and then head to Alabasta." Vivi looks between them, "When Miss Nami is feeling better is when we can go with the fastest speed, right?" 

"That's right." Luffy grins, taking more of Nami's weight as she starts to slump, "There is nothing that can make this ship faster than Nami in good health."

-

Luffy sweeps Nami off her feet when she starts to collapse, holding her tight, protectively against the strong winds and choppy waves of the cyclone. He keeps her safe as the crew gets the ship away from the storm. His orange is safe with him.

-

They all sleep in Nami's room over the next few days as they sail in search of a doctor. Luffy touches her a lot while she sleeps. He watches Sanji feed her when she can't wake up enough to eat herself. Usopp strokes her hair as he wipes sweat from her brow. Zoro sleeps leaning against the bed by her feet, waking to tuck in any limbs that escape into the cool air every few minutes as she tosses and turns. Luffy feels sick, too, in his chest. 

He makes sure Sanji gives her at least a meat broth, and that there is always cool water to wet her fever with. 

-

"An island, Nami!! They said they saw an island! You will be better soon!!"

He bounces his legs, grinning and watching her sleeping face for any sort of reaction. She is so red. Luffy is used to red being blood and flowers and sunburns. Not fevers.

"If you want to see it that bad, then go. I'll watch her." Zoro says, even though he hasn't left the room all day.

Luffy can trust his orange with his green so he jumps up and bounds away with a backwards "Bye, Nami!!"

-

Vivi doesn't _ feel _ purple. 

Both of them on their knees and begging for a doctor, Luffy can't help but think she's much too warm for a cool, dark color like purple. She fits the wave of Usopp and Nami more than Zoro and Sanji. 

"You aren't our purple." He says finally, watching her seriously, cheek squished to the wood of the Going Merry's deck. "You're our gold, aren't you?"

She blinks at him, still smiling, and then her eyes crinkle up in a giant grin. "I wish I'd received your gift, Mister Luffy."

"It's okay." He says reasonably. "We're friends, and that's much more important."

-

"Nami." Luffy slaps her cheek gently to wake her up "Hey, hey, Nami."

She slowly blinks open her eyes. Luffy wants to know what they look like for real.

"If we don't go to the mountain, we can't see the doctor. Let's go on a hike."

"Don't be stupid!" Sanji snaps, "You can't take Nami-swan on a hike!"

"It's okay, I can just carry her."

"It can make her get worse!" Vivi argues. 

"I'll take her to the doctor. She should be better soon."

"The mountain is too steep for you to climb!"

"I can climb it." Luffy blows a raspberry at Vivi. They keep trying to argue but Luffy is stubborn. He crosses his arms.

He is taking Nami up the mountain.

"Nami!" Usopp starts forward and Luffy turns to see her smiling, one hand raised weakly toward him.

"I'll leave it to you, Captain."

Luffy grins and slaps their palms together. "That's right. Just trust me."

-

Sanji goes with him. Nami is a warm, light weight on his back. Sanji is a strong, trusted fighter at his side. They're going to save Nami.

-

Sanji saves them both in the avalanche and Luffy reaches out blindly for him, feels their hands clasp tightly together. When he yanks him back, all he has is a glove.

"SANJI!!!"

-

"Hold my hat for me, okay, Nami? I'll be right back!"

-

He can still taste blue. Sanji is alive and is waiting for him to save him like Sanji had just saved them. Luffy is not going to lose any colors, not _ any _.

-

Sanji is much heavier than Nami. He shoulders Nami onto his back, holds Sanji tight around the waist.

"I'll take you up the mountain." He says to them both as he starts to stomp through fresh snow again, "So neither of you die!"

-

The white bears help him.

-

Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Cold - no, _ doctor _. Doctor. Doctor.

-

"I see the top!"

He kicks his sandals off, and sets Sanji down to tighten the cord keeping Nami tied to him. 

"We're almost there." He reminds them firmly, voice nearly ripped away by the angry, chilled wind. "Hang in a little longer, guys."

He bites into Sanji's jacket so his arms stay free, and starts to climb.

-

Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!

-

He drops Sanji, catches him with his teeth and keeps climbing. The blood warms his fingers, fights the numbness back and makes them ache and tremble in pain.

He won't give up. He's going to reach the top and the doctor.

-

What a beautiful castle.

-

Doctor. Doctor….doct...or…

-

"I AM NOT YOUR FOOD!!! DOCTOR, THE HUMANS HAVE INFECTED ME!!! WHY AM I SEEING THINGS LIKE THIS, AHHH!!!"

-

"But he looks like a nice person! Let's ask him to join us!" Luffy demands, already getting excited again. Forget the old auntie, this guy is so much cooler!!!

-

The bluenose reindeer _ talks _ and _ transforms _ and Luffy has already decided that he's going to join his crew.

"Wapol is back!" The reindeer says to Auntie, who doesn't look impressed.

"Is that so…" she closes her eyes, smirking, and Luffy blinks around the room at them.

"Luffy!" Nami crosses her arms. She looks much better. Luffy wants to touch her face, feel for himself. He's been holding Sanji's hand for most of their chasing of the reindeer, wanting to feel the blood flowing in Sanji's hand.

"Stop chasing that reindeer! I've decided he's going to be our doctor."

"Me, too!" Luffy cheers, bouncing over to sit on her bed and check her temperature with his palm. She feels much better but he presses their foreheads together to compare temperatures again, just in case. Nami closes her eyes and leans forward and Luffy feels sharp relief.

"Don't make decisions for others, idiot humans!!" The reindeer shouts, but he is distracted by Auntie standing up.

"Come along, Chopper. Let's go take out this trash."

-

Luffy punches that weird munch-munch guy off the mountain.

"A king!?" He pulls a face at them, baring all his teeth and sticking out his tongue, "So what!? I just know that I hate all of you a whole lot!"

-

He leaves Sanji to handle things while he goes to get his coat.

"What's going on outside?" Nami asks, looking sleepy.

"It's just cold. Hey, did you bring my jacket?"

"I didn't ask about the weather, idiot. What are you numbskulls doing outside?"

"Oh, we're just having a little fight." Luffy tosses a few things out of the way in his search and frowns. Did it blow away? Is it hiding? He's _ cold _.

"It's not a big deal, right?"

"No, it's fine. You just take a rest!"

Nami sighs. "Take my jacket, Luffy."

"But your's doesn't look as cool." 

"It's warm, just wear it."

Luffy grins, shrugging her orange coat on and zipping it up, "Okay, as long as it's warm. I'm gonna go beat those people up now. Rest well!"

Nami lays back down with a huff of laughter and Luffy takes a second to tuck her in before he runs clumps back out. His sandals had been on his feet when he woke up, but his jacket must still be outside somewhere.

-

Luffy ties the flag tightly, anger making his hands warm and flexible. When he stands, he hangs off the pole, glaring down at the munch-munch guy.

"You're just a bunch of frauds!" He announces, decision made. He isn't going to let them take down this flag.

-

"See!? This flag will never be broken!"

-

"Hey, reindeer!" Luffy shouts down, lips splitting wide open in a laughing grin, "I'm going to beat them up real soon! So what are you gonna do!?"

"Me…?" The reindeer blinks up at him, eyes wide. 

-

"You don't have a single friend in this place. Why do you bother fighting for this empire? It's so funny!"

"Shut up! Even though I don't have anyone, I will continue to fight as long as the doctor's flag is still here!"

Luffy grips the top of the tower and flings himself back. The roof crunches under his fingers

"Who said that he doesn't have anyone!?" Luffy shouts, and then hurls himself downward with all his strength

"He has me! I am his friend now!"

-

"My name is Tony Tony Chopper. The greatest doctor in the world gave me this name."

Luffy grins. Chopper. It's a good name.

-

"But I'm not human. I'm a monster! I can't be friends with humans!! That's why I came here just to thank you!!"

Luffy frowns at his new reindeer friend, confused.

"Thank you for asking me… but I will stay here. If you get bored, just come to visit me sometimes."

Luffy throws his hands up, shouting louder than he had even in battle. "Shut up and come with us!!!!"

-

They stop, all of them staring up at the sky as the snow drifts down on them.

"It's…" Usopp says as Luffy holds out a hand to catch a flake in his hand.

"What is this color?" Sanji asks, as soft with awe as Luffy feels.

"It's pink!" Chopper chokes out through his loud, echoing sobs, "It is the pink cherry blossoms that the doctor created to cure this island!!!"

"Pink." Luffy repeats, and licks the snow off his hand with a grin. 

"I wish I could see it." Vivi says quietly at his side, but she's smiling. "Still...it's so beautiful, even like this."

Luffy steps forward, places his hand on Chopper's shaking shoulder.

The crew watches for a long time, each in silence.

-

The pink snow sees them off this island, happy and healthy and with a new friend, crew member and soulmate.

-

They have a party: drink and eat, sing and dance. Luffy laughs and laughs and enjoys his life with his crew and his colors. Sanji's hair glows gold in the lamplight of the deck and Zoro is a flash of pale green against otherwise darker backdrops. Nami and Vivi dance together in flashes of blue and orange while Chopper and Usopp trade jokes back and forth.

Luffy is happy.

-

"Soulmates?" Chopper looks at his hooves, "I just figured that animals see in black and white. And pink."

"Maybe they do." Luffy shrugs, "But that's why we can see pink now. We are meant to be friends forever!"

"Luffy!" Sanji calls from the kitchen, "Stop filling his head with fairytales and come do the dishes!"

"It isn't a fairytale, Sanji!" Luffy pouts, but he stands up and ruffles the fur of Chopper's shoulder as he passes. "Don't listen to Sanji. He's still embarrassed about it."

Chopper laughs and follows him to help.

-

Alabasta is hot! The sands are golden, though, and it burns to walk on. He is so _ thirsty _

-

He and Ace sit together, grinning.

"So you've found your crew, huh?" Ace asks, voice low.

"Yep." Luffy pokes at his chest, "Dadan was right. They're my soulmates."

"Soulmates, huh?" Ace smirks, "Look at you, little brother. You're growing up."

"Soon, I'll surpass even you." Luffy smirks right back and Ace laughs uproariously.

-

He's sinking, deeper and deeper into the golden sand. He can't think about anything except the gaping wound through his belly, the gritty sting of sand eating into the hole and sucking the moisture out of his skin, his mouth, his eyes.

He feels the others, strong and safe inside of him, but he's so - so -

_ Hungry _

-

"MEEEEAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!"

-

He's mostly unconscious, acting on autopilot, searching for _ food _. He can't move his body, so he just chomps through sand, furious.

And then…there's his purple.

He doesn't remember anything else. Just that he is alone and slowly growing weaker, and then there are hands and his chest is warm because he has _ missed _it, her, without even realizing how deep the missing piece had been hurting. 

"Pur...ple…" he says, eyes closing and hand reaching up weakly. He had felt her in those touches moments earlier and the loss of the contact was like a whole new wound.

-

His purple is gone again when he wakes. He has to find her again, he _ will _. But he has to find the rest of his crew, first. 

-

His purple _ laughs _ when he becomes Water Luffy. He still isn't sure that he likes her, his purple, but she's _ his _. 

"You're good luck ends here." She says to Luffy, "No more time left for you."

-

"Huh? I can't move?" He blinked, slowly starts to push himself up off the ground, "After all the meat I ate, how could such little wounds…"

_ Am I tired? _ He thinks, and falls back to the dirt.

-

He was just tired. He needed a bit of time to sleep. He's ready to defeat Crocodile, help Vivi, and get his purple.

-

"Strawhat…" his purple says when he makes his way through the rubble and confronts Crocodile again.

She is on the ground, looking hurt, and it sends a prickle of anger up Luffy's spine. He hasn't told the rest of the crew yet, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't belong with them, that Crocodile _ gets to hurt her. _

-

"Because you took something and haven't given it back yet!"

Crocodile laughs, spreading his hands wide.

"Have I, Strawhat? And what is that? Fame? Money? Trust? Lives?"

"The country." Luffy clenches his fist and points threateningly at Crocodile, "And my purple!"

Crocodile stops laughing. "Your purple?"

"I'm here to get them both back." Luffy says firmly and then kicks Crocodile directly in the face.

-

Luffy carries his purple and the guy up, out of the underground tomb.

He sits his new soulmate down carefully, drops the guy, and then collapses with his head against her leg.

"You survived...Strawhat." she says with a weak wheeze. 

"Of course." Luffy closes his eyes, turns his face into her lap, feels the gentle touch of his purple. Purple like flowers and fresh bruises, like grapes and the sunset. She and Chopper make such beautiful sunsets. "I promised Vivi I'd help her. Sorry it took so long for me to find you.

"Fool." She says, brushing his hair out of his face. "Find me? I tried to kill you. I wanted to die down there."

"Shut up. I don't want to listen to your ranting. I gave you red, by the way." He sighs, darkness edging into his vision. "I can't wait for the others to meet you. We've been thinking about you forever."

And then he sleeps.

-

"I feel very hungry!!! Where is my breakfast and my hat!?"

His crew is all around him, his friends and a comfortable bed and his hat and, soon, delicious fruit.

His purple is missing again, but he knows he will find her soon.

-

They have to leave Vivi behind in the castle, but Luffy feels confident that she will make the right choice. He wants her to come with them, of course he does, but she _ is _ a princess, so maybe…

She is his gold, but he isn't her red. Colors have always been so simple to him - he isn't sure what it means to be gifted but not able to give in return. It makes him sad, to think of Vivi not being on the Merry with them anymore. He wants her to join his crew and be with them forever!

He will know her decision tomorrow. For now, he has to focus on getting the Going Merry back.

-

"I'm here to say goodbye!!" Vivi says, the entire island echoing with her words. She is too far for him to reach, but he can see her - blue-tinted hair and gold in her dress. 

"I...can't go with you all! Thank you all for what you have done for me! I want to go with you, but right now, I - I really love this country!! So I can't come along."

Luffy grins. So she has her answer.

"Still, even though I want to stay here...if there is one day where we meet each other again, will you all take me as a friend!?" 

Luffy raises his fists to shout back. "No matter what, we are -" 

Nami covers his mouth with a curse. "We can't answer her, Luffy! The marines have seen her. If we answer as friends, she'll be marked as a criminal. We have to part quietly."

"But…" Luffy looks at Vivi and then his arm. "Then this, right?"

-

They leave Vivi's island with the black marks on their forearms exposed. 

Vivi may be staying behind, but she leaves them with a valuable gift. Her color is a promise that they will meet again. 

-

The scary lady that was partners with Crocodile comes out once the marines are gone for good. 

"Monkey D. Luffy," his purple says, dropping lightly into a chair, "You didn't forget what you said, did you?"

"Hey! I didn't say anything to you!"

"No," she crosses her arms behind her head and leans back. "I remember clearly. You better take responsibility." 

"You're so weird!!" He says with irritation. "What do you want, then?"

She opens her eyes and smiles. "Let me join your crew."

"WHAT!?"

"You made me go on when I wanted to die with the history stone." Robin explains. "Besides. You said I was your purple, didn't you? I have nowhere else to go, so let me stay on this ship. You were looking for me, weren't you?"

"Well." Luffy nods, "That makes sense. Okay."

"Luffy!!"

"Our purple!? But Vivi was our purple!"

"Whaaat?" Luffy looks at them and then at Robin in confusion. "No way! Vivi gave us gold. This woman gave us purple. Can't you feel it?"

"...well…" Chopper blinks. "I guess...I had gold. But now I can definitely see purple! She is wearing a purple shirt, right? So Vivi must have been gold."

"That doesn't make any sense, we…" Nami slowly lifts a finger, "We first met Vivi at...Laboon…and - oh, that is when we discovered the gold! But...but we saw purple when we first brought Vivi onto Merry!"

"Which is also the first day you met me." The woman leans forward with a smile, resting her chin on her hands, "It's so nice to meet so many soulmates at once. My name is Nico Robin and I am your purple. Thank you for all of these lovely colors."

Luffy nods. "She is."

"She's scary!!" Usopp shrieks.

"And dangerous!!" Nami demands.

"And beautiful!!" Sanji gushes.

"Don't worry!" Luffy grins, remembering soft hands brushing his hair out of his face, holding his wounds closed until he fell asleep. "She isn't as bad as you guys think!"

Nico Robin smiles politely.

-

Luffy doesn't have much time to get to know his new crewmate before they find themselves on their next adventure. He's okay with that, because he thinks he knows everything he really needs to know, but still.

-

They fight and they win.

Luffy has the best crew, and they're only going to get stronger from here. His soulmates wouldn't be anything but the best, he's always known that - but it's exciting to _ see _ it.

-

Luffy isn't sure if it's normal for crew mates or soulmates or whatever to touch as often as his crew does, but he doesn't really care. His soul calls for them, he needs to feel them, their hearts beating.

He sleeps sprawled out across one or another most nights. Even Sanji usually let's him curl up against his chest or at his back. Sometimes, like on Robin's first night, he sleeps in the lady's room, on the floor or at the foot of one of the beds. He knows Zoro often sleeps propped against the wall in there, that Sanji and Usopp have both claimed the couch a time or two, that Chopper is cute enough that Nami doesn't mind cuddling with him in the night. He likes linking hands with his friends, or hugging them when he's excited. He likes feeling fingers in his hair when he's hurting or sleepy. He likes the way Zoro always dives in when Luffy falls in the water, likes the way Nami calls him _ idiot pirate _when she's annoyed with him, likes how Usopp slings an arm over his shoulders to tell a joke, likes how Sanji smiles when Luffy really likes a new dish, likes how Chopper laughs and laughs when Luffy does impressions, likes that Robin let's him sleep with his head in her lap. He likes his crew. 

He misses Vivi, but he thinks she is happy where she is now; and he is happy here. 

He still can't pick a favorite color. He loves them all.

-

Luffy is _ happy _.

And then they come to Water 7 and things go so wrong.

-

Robin is missing, the Going Merry is - is - 

And someone _ hurt Usopp _.

-

_ Luffy _ hurts Usopp.

-

Luffy...loses Usopp.

-

Luffy has lost Robin and the Going Merry and Usopp all in one violent, angry swoop and - purple and yellow and white are all such pretty colors but it hurts to _ look _ at them. He can feel all three of them aching, in pain, can feel the unease and agitation of the others in his heart and it _ hurts. _

-

"What the hell is with that weirdo?" Luffy says with a deep frown.

"Did he just say Franky?" Nami grips his arm, nails digging into skin. She gasps, grip going slack and Luffy blinks as he looks up at the posing figure above them and -

Blue. Blue, different from Sanji - more light, closer to white, spreading across the sky as far as the eye can see. It's the color of the strange man's hair, too, and - 

Luffy's heart stutters.

"It's _ him _ !? Our soulmate _ beat up our soulmate _!!! Hey, seawater panty guy!!! I'm Luffy!!!!"

"So you're Strawhat Luffy." The man crosses his arms, "while I was away, you sure made a big mess for such a little guy!"

"Nevermind that!" Nami yells up at him, "What did you do with our money!?"

"The money doesn't matter!" Luffy stares up as the man stares down. There's a terrible rage building inside of him, a sort of anger he never ever thought he could feel for someone who is a _ part _ of him in some way. "You...you! You beat up my - but you -"

He's reaching out before he thinks, stretching his arms out to grab the stone in front of the stranger's feet and flinging himself up to reach him, "What kind of a man beats up his own colors for _ money _!!!? I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!"

-

"You don't know Robin like we do so don't talk about her like that!!!"

There has to be an explanation. Just like there's an explanation for this cyborg guy beating up Usopp even though they're soulmates, just like why Merry can't come with them anymore. There's a good reason Robin is missing and she'd never hurt anyone for no reason!! Luffy won't believe any of this filth, not until he hears about it from her own mouth!

-

"Luffy...are you okay with Robin leaving the crew?"

"HELL NO!!!"

-

"Don't joke at a time like this!!!" Nami screams through the rain, glowing like the sun in Luffy's admittedly dizzy head, "While you were screwing around, Robin's been taken away!!! For all of us, Robin…"

Luffy is stuck, but he stops struggling to better hear Nami through the pounding rain. He can hear her sobbing out great, wracking cries through her words.

"Robin sacrificed herself for us!!! She protected us from being attacked by the government!!! Even knowing she might be killed!!"

"So Robin…" Luffy clenches his fists, "She was lying after all…"

_ Thank goodness. _

Thank goodness. His purple didn't want to leave them, too. She wanted to stay with them. 

"Don't worry!!!" He shouts, starting to yank at his face again, "I won't let Robin die!!!"

-

"Do you still plan to wage war in the center of the world government!?" Rope guy demands to know.

There is a loud murmur behind him, those weird people all muttering protests.

"Luffy…" Nami says by his side, reaching down to grip his hand hard. He remembers the last time he'd touched one of his crew, it had been to hit Usopp. He clasps her hand tight in his.

"In that case, we'll take the ship by force!!! We're leaving _ now _!!! Our friends and soulmates are waiting for us, so don't you dare get in our way!!!"

-

"He's no soulmate until he apologizes to Usopp!" Luffy says into the Mushi, "Attacking your own colors is -"

He stops, because _ he'd _attacked his own color. But Usopp had, too. And he'd fought against the cyborg man. Luffy feels not good. He wants to be back on Merry with his crew, Robin and Nami laughing while Sanji serves them cold drinks and Zoro trains and Chopper and Usopp mash herbs together. 

"Usopp says he's apologized. But seriously, Luffy, you can't keep just not telling us when you run into people like this! First Robin, and now this Franky guy!"

"If he's apologized then I _ guess _ I'll forgive him." Luffy decides and then shoves the Mushi away because he doesn't want to think anymore about Usopp. Luffy knows he is safe, at least.

-

Luffy is not dumb, but he knows that he is simple. He _ likes _ simple.

And he would have taken Sogeking at face value, without hesitation, except that he has ached for his yellow since their fight and his soul would recognize Usopp through any disguise, any means.

-

"I understand Robin's enemy very well." Luffy looks up at Robin, his crew member, his soul mate, his purple. 

"Sogeking." He says. "Shoot that flag."

"Roger!"

-

The flag burns Nami-orange and Usopp-yellow. 

-

"Are you bastards insane!!? Don't you dare to even dream that you'd survive having the world as your enemy!!!"

"BRING IT ON!!!" Luffy takes a deep breath, fills his lungs to bursting. "ROBIN!!! I HAVEN'T HEARD IT FROM YOU YET!!! SAY YOU WANNA LIVE!!!!"

-

"I WANT TO LIVE!!!!" Robin screams back, tears streaming down her face. Luffy hates them, hates that somebody has made his soulmate _ cry _. "TAKE ME OUT TO SEA WITH YOU!!!!"

Luffy smiles.

"Woooooah, I love you guys!!! Damn it!!!" His sky-blue sobs from close by.

-

Ever since their fists collided, Luffy has been able to see a new color in Pigeon Guy's eyes. He refuses to believe they are soulmates of any sort, he would have realized it before now, but...maybe this is like those times he punched red into his opponent. Either way, he's going to beat this guy up until he can get to Robin, eye color or not.

-

He sends his sky blue after his purple, Franky after Robin, and stays behind to continue his fight.

-

"Then stand up right away!!! And don't act like you're about to die!!! It's not like you!!! Even if there are billows of smoke, we can still see the sky!! We can still see the ocean!!! This place isn't hell!!!"

His yellow is here.

"Don't make me worry so damn much!!"

"I know...this isn't hell…" Luffy makes his legs carry him. Makes his fist keep him steady. Hell is being in a black and white world, all alone. Hell is watching that ship eat Sabo. Hell is having his colors taken from him. This isn't hell.

"Win!!!" Usopp screams and, for a second, the world is blistering yellow, "Win so we can all go back together, Luffy!!!!"

-

People keep trying to take Robin away. They tell him he'll regret being her friend, her crewmate. That she's more trouble than she's worth. That ice marine guy, pigeon guy, that spam guy, even Robin.

But he isn't going to give her up. She's a part of his soul, a part of him, his purple - most importantly, she is his friend and no one is ever going to take her away again!!!!

-

"LET'S GO BACK TOGETHER, ROBIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!"

-

_ I've come to take you home!! _ Luffy hears as familiar hands roll his limp body down toward the ocean.

-

_ I'm sorry...I wanted to carry you just a little bit further...I'm sorry...I wanted to go on more adventures with you...but I…. _

Luffy cries. He cries and cries and cries like he hasn't since he was a child.

_ But I was happy. Thank you for taking care of me until now. I was really happy. _

White drops of light, warm and white, drift off of the Going Merry as she burns.

-

This ship is not the Going Merry, but their spirits are almost the same. She also gives Luffy a kind white, a glow that he can already tell is affectionate. He is still grieving for Merry, but to have that light return after five cold days is heartening. He has not seen Usopp in all of these days, either, and it aches sharply in a way no one else will admit to feeling.

-

"Franky!!" Luffy raises the pair of panties high, "Thank you so much for the ship!! It's the greatest and we'll take good care of it!!"

"Yeah." Franky stops, catching his breath as he slowly looks the ship over and then looks at Luffy. "I wish you all a safe journey with this ship."

Luffy laughs, grinning wide, "Stupid! If you want these back, then you have to join our crew!!! You're my sky color, after all! I gave you red, by the way."

"Don't be silly! Don't assume I'll just accept all that soulmate junk just because you stole my pants and made a few colors appear!"

Franky strikes a pose and Luffy gasps. "He's the man of men!! So resolute!!"

Robin smiles next to him.

-

"Now, get on my ship, Franky!"

-

Luffy has his green and his orange at his side, loyal and strong. He has his ocean blue and his blossom pink. He has his purple and his sky blue, and he has his new white and the ache of his gold's freshly vacant spot waiting for her return.

He isn't nervous or anything. He'll get his yellow back, too. He will.

He wipes his brow as they set off.

-

"Luffy!! Usopp is calling you!"

"I don't hear anything." Luffy says, using his leg as a curve to send the cannonball flying back toward his grandpa. 

"Zoro!!"

"I didn't hear anything!!" Zoro snaps back at Chopper.

"Liar!"

-

"CAN I TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID!?" His yellow shouts from the cliff. It's just as far as he was on Enies Lobby, shouting for Luffy. "Can I, please!? Please let me stay with you guys!!! Please make me your friend one more time!!!!" 

"IDIOT!!!" Luffy shouts back, his own tears falling salty into his mouth as he screams, "HURRY UP AND GRAB MY HAND!!!"

-

He has his yellow back.

-

They have a party. He holds Usopp's hand until Nami and Zoro somehow rangle Usopp into a drinking contest, and he ends up wrapped around Robin, who runs her fingers through his hair while he rests his head on her lap. Franky fits right in, drinking a cola while he shows off his various cyborg parts to Chopper. Luffy would be right there with Chopper, except that he doesn't want to take his eyes off Robin or Usopp and having one of them under him makes it easier to keep track of both.

"Thank you, Luffy." Robin says quietly.

Luffy grins.

-

Luffy sleeps with Usopp their first night on the Thousand Sunny. The hammock is huge and fits them both easily and Usopp seems to have been expecting him bc he just tosses his arm around Luffy's shoulders and falls asleep. Luffy isn't one for staying awake and thinking so he falls asleep just as fast. The next night, Robin and Nami let him sleep in their room and he finds himself curling up in the curve of Robin's side, sleeping soundly to her steady breathing as she reads. 

"You guys sure like to touch each other." Franky points out while he and Luffy are laying out on the grass lawn. Chopper is sitting on Zoro's weights as he does his lifts and Usopp and Sanji trade tools as they build something. 

"I guess." Luffy shrugs. He and Franky have tangled their feet together, Luffy's ankle across Franky's.

"This have to do with all that soulmate mumbo jumbo?" Franky teases but Luffy just grins up at the sky and shrugs.

"Maybe. Dunno. I like it, though."

"...I could get used to it, I guess." 

The sky is a beautiful color.

-

Luffy blinks up at the figure of the skeleton on the ghost ship, blinks again, and the shadows he has known all his life - shift. The darkness reaches a new depth, some things shaded everywhere from a soft gray to pitch black.

Another color? So _ soon _? And a skeleton gave that to him!? He has to go explore.

-

"Tell us everything that's going on in these waters!!!" Sanji says with a firm point in their new soulmate's direction.

"Before that, join my crew!" Luffy demands.

"Yes, very well, then." His black agrees.

-

"Today is a wonderful day!! I was able to find somebody!!! I couldn't tell the difference between today and tomorrow on this dark sea with a thick fog, all alone on a ship that won't obey its rudder. How many years I've been wandering!!" Brooke bows to the crew and Luffy gets lost in looking at his bushy afro. Black has so many more shades than Luffy could have ever guessed.

"I've been really lonely and afraid!" Brooke continues, "So much that I wanted to die! I've lived a long time and for me, people are a delight!! For me, you're my delight!!" He laughs his distinct _ yo ho ho ho _ laugh, "If I had tears, I could cry with happiness!! You invited me to be your friend and crewmate! And all these beautiful colors!! I'm so glad. Thank you very much. But the truth is, I should decline."

"What!! Why!?" Luffy's mouth drops open.

-

"We're not strangers!! We're soulmates! You're our black! If that's the case, we'll get your shadow back!!! Tell me who stole it!"

Brooke doesn't exactly make facial expressions, being only bones and so without much of a face, but Luffy can tell he is being stared at and he stares back stubbornly.

"You're really a good person." Brook says gently.

-

"Well, whatever the case, I have to bring back my important friend. He's our soulmate, after all. Sanji, pirate lunchbox!!!"

"S-s-soulmate!?" Usopp stutters, "I never agreed to this!"

"Come get your lunchboxes, guys." Sanji says, reluctantly amused.

-

When Luffy wakes up, the world is black and white and flat. His soul has been stolen - his colors are gone, even red.

-

"Move it, guys, we're coming through!!"

"A shadow!?"

"Yeah, it's a shadow!" One of the weird guys says, "Once we feed salt to the zombies, they come flying out!"

"And then it's easy enough to capture them!"

And then he shoves the shadow into Luffy's body and his vision goes - blurry and awful. His head stuffs up with cotton and he throws his head back with a shriek.

Between one blink and the next, colors are back but they're ugly and muted and _ wrong _. It's worse to have them back than it is to not have them at all.

-

There's so much power, he can't ...he can't hold it all in -

He wants to _ fight _ -

-

His world turns colorful again.

-

Luffy...doesn't remember a lot. When he wakes up, his colors are back, but his green is hazy and odd. Zoro needs more rest than Luffy does, but he - and Sanji, for maybe the same reason - spend a lot of time at Zoro's bed. Luffy lays in the space between the edge and Zoro's side and pretends not to see Sanji stroke Zoro's hollowed cheek as he wipes his brow.

Zoro sleeps and sleeps, doesn't even eat or drink during his rest like usual. Luffy feels like he is missing something, because he feels totally fine while Zoro is like _ this _. He rests his head on Zoro's chest, listens to his heart beating slow and steady. He feels Sanji's fingers thread through his hair and settle against his scalp.

"Oh, captain…" he hears Sanji say quietly.

-

"I have finally heard news that Laboon is still healthy and awaiting my return...I have finally recovered my shadow and can escape from these accursed waters...this dial, with everyone's voices recorded upon it...no longer exists for the sake of my own solitary reminiscences of the past!!" Brooke hits a key while Luffy watches, grinning. His black is so tall and dark. Luffy saw a lot of things he wanted for his crew in this place, but none as much as he wants Brooke. 

"This song exists so that I can take it to Laboon! Every single day was painful...to be honest, I could see no sign of any kind of hope...but you know, Master Luffy?"

Brooke slowly tilts his head back and Luffy feels his soul strumming when he sobs, "I am so glad to be alive!!!! I truly am so glad to be alive!!! This glorious day…it has finally come!!!"

Luffy laughs. He's glad to be alive, too.

"Ah." Brooke straightens back up, "Would you mind if I joined your crew?"

"Sounds great!!"

-

"Strawhat Luffy, from this day forth I pledge you my life and offer you my service!!! I hope not to be a burden to you all!!" 

Luffy holds out a hand, excited that he finally has his crew. His heart feels heavy with them, a warm and safe hold. 

"I've been looking for you for a long time." He says. "I gave you red, by the way."

"It's truly the loveliest color I've seen in a very long time. Oh, but how can I see with no eyes!? Yohohohohoho!!"

Brooke takes his hand. 

-

The last few days have been really crazy. Luffy loves adventures and excitement...but he also likes getting to know his new colors and exploring Sunny. Sunny is much, much bigger than Merry was - especially now that Merry is a landing craft - and Franky has hidden a lot of crazy things for them to discover.

He also takes the time to check out his crew. Zoro got really hurt in that last fight and is still recovering in the infirmary at night. Sanji has been sleeping in there the last few nights, and Luffy has left him to watch over Zoro. Sometimes Sanji just needs time alone and Luffy trusts his blue to watch over their swordsman. 

Instead, Luffy has discovered that Franky's chest is _ super warm _during the chilly nights and Franky rumbles when he sleeps. Brook can stay up all night and can play every instrument Luffy throws at him and doesn't mind at all when Luffy hangs from around his neck. 

Robin has stolen his new napping spot a couple times now, but he doesn't mind it because Franky seems relaxed and happy around Robin, as much as she seems around him. Instead, he sticks close to Usopp for awhile, and then convinces Nami to convince Sanji to make a snack. Nami lets him sleep against her desk as she draws and he wakes up to Chopper across his lap, furry body a warmth that Luffy has bent over to pillow his head on.

They have a loud, exciting dinner their first full twenty-four hours on the open ocean again. Luffy and Usopp catch the fish and Sanji makes sushi and fries up a few pounds of meat. He even sets aside a few pieces for Zoro to wolf down before Luffy gets a hold of them. Brook sings with Chopper and Usopp and Franky and Robin bow their heads close to talk together, Rabin smiling and Franky determined. Nami and Zoro sit to either side of Luffy while Sanji flirts around the group bringing refills and second helpings. 

It's a rainbow of colors, green and orange and red and ocean blue and yellow, pink and purple, sky blue and black, thin etched of gold in every blink.

This is right, he feels. These are his soulmates. He's finally found them after seventeen years of waiting. They're his.

-

He meets an unexpected color on their next island.

-

He loses his crew.

-

Jinbe gives him a new color, a pretty silver that he only notices because of the way that the thin prison lights reflected off of Jinbe's scales.

"I gave you red, by the way." He laughs during the escape.

-

He loses his brother.

-

His world goes dark.

-

He loses everything except -

-

Except.

-

He still has them. Zoro. Nami. Usopp. Sanji. Robin. Chopper. Franky. Brook. The Going Merry's spirit and the Thousand Sunny, and even the unexpected chocolate brown of Law, who rescued him.

-

3D2Y

-

1YL

-

He finds his colors again - stronger, and still _ his _, and still ready to find the one piece and conquer the Grand Lind and all the oceans to make him the king of the pirates.

-

He decides his favorite color is all of them.


End file.
